The Girl In The Box
by jemb
Summary: Booth and Brennan are called to investigate the case of a girl found buried in a box in Chicago. But when the case turns personal for Brennan, will she be able to cope?
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This story seemed to write itself and I know it isn't my best work so be kind when reviewing. I also decided to post the complete story at one time rather than chapter by chapter since I had finished it anyway. It's a BB story with plenty of angst and some fluff too. _**

A light snow has begun to fall over Washington DC as Temperance Brennan makes her way home after a long and tedious week. Two ongoing FBI cases along with a confidential Government identification and pressure from her editor about her latest novel have meant little sleep and longer than usual working days. Even now, at 11 pm on a Friday night, she has only just finished up for the day. With one hand clamped on the steering wheel, Brennan rubs her tired eyes one at a time and hopes she makes it home in one piece. Driving probably isn't a good idea given how exhausted she is.

Nevertheless, Brennan makes it home safely twenty minutes later and is quickly relaxing on her couch with a large glass of red wine and some soft music playing on the stereo. Reclining back, Brennan closes her eyes and sinks into the soft material, her body finally beginning to relax. But her moment of peace is swiftly interrupted by a knock at her door. The clock tells her it is nearly 11.45 pm. _Who would come to my apartment at this time on a Friday night?_ She wonders for only a moment. Then the answer comes to her. _Booth_ she sighs. It isn't that she doesn't want to see him, it's just his visit can only mean one thing. _A new case_. Setting her wine down carefully on the coffee table, Brennan grudgingly rises to her feet and crosses the room, smoothing down her clothes as she moves in a subconscious attempt to make sure she looks good.

"Hey Bones." Booth greets her with a half smile as she draws back the door to her apartment. His hands are stuffed in his jean pockets and his black leather jacket is lightly dusted by snow.

"Booth, what are you doing here?" she asks wearily, knowing fine well what his answer is going to be.

"I know its late Bones, and it's been a long week." Booth begins, hoping by acknowledging her exhaustion she'll be a little more receptive to him.

"Out with it." Brennan rolls her eyes.

"Right, uh we have a new case."

"I figured as much." Brennan steps aside to let Booth into her apartment. She closes the door quickly behind him and steps around him as he lingers near the door. "So, what is it this time?" she asks as she makes her way back to the couch. Booth follows after a moment's hesitation, then feeling more confident, he flops down into the armchair.

"Skeleton in a box." He states. "Found in a federal park in Chicago." He holds his breath waiting for her reaction.

"We're going to Chicago aren't we?" Brennan asks with a heavy heart.

"Sorry Bones, I hope you didn't have plans for the weekend."

"Mmm, nothing much. Just a couple of ID's for the Government and some paperwork." Brennan replies. Her voice lacks humour but Booth smiles nonetheless.

"Great, well our plane leaves in three hours so you'd better get packed." Booth sits forward and claps his hands together.

"Tonight?" Brennan exclaims, suddenly sitting up, her eyes widening.

"The sooner we get there the sooner we get home."

"One of these days…" Brennan mutters as she rises to her feet. Booth clasps his hands behind his head and places his feet on the coffee table, crossed at the ankles.

"I'll wait here for you Bones." He grins as she walks across her apartment to her bedroom. She doesn't glance back, knowing she might break into a smile if she sees that cute but devilish expression she knows his face is wearing. _If he doesn't think I'm mad at being dragged out of state, I know he won't try to make it up to me_ she smiles as she enters her bedroom and begins to search for her overnight bag.

xxxx

The sun is barely peeking over the horizon when Brennan and Booth arrive at the crime scene, straight from the airport. Brennan had slept the whole flight but she still feels a little groggy. The area of the park the box was discovered in has been cordoned off by local police and aside from a few officers, a local FBI agent and a young man with an FBI Forensics jacket on, the park is deserted.

"Agent Booth, Dr Brennan." The FBI agent approaches them and extends his hand both. "I'm Agent Wright. My boss told me you would be taking over this investigation." Booth thinks he hears some annoyance in the man's voice.

"Not taking over." Booth states with a smile. He doesn't like alienating other agents, especially when they might need help during the investigation. "Dr Brennan is going to identify the victim and we'll take it from there."

"The victim is female." Brennan calls out. Booth hadn't even noticed she had left his side and moved to the box sitting a few feet away, just outside of a deep hole in the ground under a tree.

"What's that?" he asks as he walks over to join her.

"Female, looks like a teenager, maybe fourteen to nineteen." Brennan begins to examine the skeleton, her latex gloves already on her hands. "Blunt force trauma." She states definitively, pointing to the victim's skull where a large hole can clearly be seen.

"So we got a murder?" Agent Wright asks.

"I can't say with certainty, the trauma may have been have been caused after death. But given the circumstances of her final resting place I would say yes." Brennan concludes.

"Okay, well what now?" Wright asks. "You want these bones taken somewhere?"

"I need access to a lab for my initial examination. Then I'll be sending the bones back to the Jeffersonian institute in DC."

"I'll have the whole box transported to the FBI lab, you can work there." Wright tells Brennan.

"Come on Bones, how about I buy you breakfast while the remains are moved?" Booth offers, a hopeful smile crossing his face. Brennan looks over at the remains then at Booth.

"Sure." She replies. _Coffee sounds really good about now_ she thinks as she wipes her brow with the back of her wrist.

"Okay, great." Booth turns to Wright. "We'll see you in an hour or so." He then places his hand lightly on Brennan's shoulder to guide her away from the scene, as she pulls off her gloves.

"Agent Wright." Brennan pauses and turns back to the agent. "I'd like some soil samples from immediately around the box and the surrounding area." She adds.

"I'll have my guy here do that for you." Wright glances over at the young forensics expert. "There's a great diner just down the street from our office." He adds. Booth nods a thanks and continues to guide Brennan back towards their rented SUV.

xxxx

Two hours later and fuelled by a very strong coffee and a bagel, Brennan is hunched over the remains from the box in a small, dark lab in the basement of the FBI building. Booth hovers in the corner of the room, watching her intently as she works. His eyes follow her every move, as she gracefully but with determination, lifts and examines individual bones for evidence of the crime that brought the young girl to her tragic end.

"She was definitely murdered." Brennan finally announces after a long period of silence. Booth straightens up and walks over to the table, standing on the other side from Brennan. "See these marks here?" she holds out the victim's ulna. Booth scrutinises the bones then lifts his eyes to meet hers.

"Uh no." he admits as he breaks into a smile. Brennan can't help but smile back.

"These are knife marks." She explains. "I've found similar cuts on the other arm, her ribs and a few on her spine too." She makes sure to use terms Booth will understand, knowing if she doesn't she'll just have to repeat herself using them anyway.

"So she was stabbed to death?" Booth asks, leaning forward a little.

"Yes. I believe the trauma to the skull was caused by the force of the lid being closed on the box." She places the arm back on the table and lifts the skull, her eyes focusing intensely on it. "The rest of the skull is in very good shape, Angela should have no trouble reconstructing a face for us." She lifts her eyes and smiles a little. "I'll have the remains couriered to the Jeffersonian." _That will give us some time to relax_ she thinks. _There isn't much we ca do without an ID._

_**Please review and let me know what you thought. I love reviews**_


	2. Chapter 2

**_BB fluff coming up..._**

After Brennan shipped the bones back to the Jeffersonian, there is little for her and Booth to do until they get some results back. So once they had settled into the hotel and refreshed themselves with hot showers and clean clothes, Booth decided they should have some fun. He called Brennan in her hotel room and told her to be ready to go out in twenty minutes. Those twenty minutes flew by and the next thing Booth knew, he was standing outside her door raising his hand to knock like he's picking up a date. _If only_ he wishes.

Booth knocks twice on Brennan's door and waits anxiously for her to answer. She opens the door wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a sparkly black halter top. Her hair is tied back elegantly and Booth is momentarily stunned.

"What?" Seeing Booth's reaction, Brennan glances down at her outfit, suddenly self conscious and wondering if she's worn the wrong thing.

"Uh nothing, you look, uh, you look really nice Bones." Booth manages to say. "Are you ready?"

"Where exactly are we going?" Brennan asks as she turns grabs her purse and light jacket off the table behind the door. As she moves, Booth sees that the top she is wearing has an entirely bare back and is dangerously low cut. Booth can't seem to tear his eyes away from her. _Damn that's sexy_ he thinks.

"Booth?" Brennan prompts, still waiting for an answer about where he is taking her.

"It's a surprise Bones." Booth grins.

"You know how I feel about surprises." She rolls her eyes.

"Come on Bones. We're in Chicago and we can't do any work until the squints get back to us so just chill out and trust me." Booth grins, so excited about his plans for the two of them this evening.

"Fine." Brennan sighs. "I'm ready."

"Great, let's go then." Booth places his hand on her back to guide her down the hall, relishing the seconds his palm touches her smooth bare skin.

xxxx

Half an hour later a cab pulls up outside the infamous 'House of Blues'. Brennan gazes out the window, her head tilted up to see the large neon sign on the outside of the building. Booth watches her and a broad smile comes over his face. _I knew this would be the right place to come_. Booth leans forward and passes the driver a large bill for the ride, then climbs out. He holds the door open and offers Brennan his hand. She slips her hand into his and steps out of the cab into the cold night air. Shuddering a little, she allows Booth to usher her forwards to the entrance. Her eye catches a notice board displaying the artists playing at the venue and she sees that a Jazz group she has a CD of at home is playing here tonight. She glances at Booth and smiles, letting him know she approves of his surprise. As they reach the door, a hostess greets them with a fake smile, obviously having a busy night.

"Good evening, how can I help you?" she asks.

"We have reservations, a table for two under Seeley Booth." Booth states.

"Right this way sir, ma'am." The hostess grabs two menus and leads them on a winding trail through the main hall to their table. Whether Booth planned it or not, Brennan is pleased that they have a table off to the side and in a darkened corner but still close enough to see the stage. She hates being in the middle of restaurants with everyone and their mother staring at you.

"I'll have someone come take your drinks orders." The hostess says as she places the menus on the table. Booth holds out Brennan's chair as she slides into it then settles himself down.

After a pleasant dinner and a bottle of wine, Booth and Brennan settle back to watch the band who have just come onto the stage. Booth can't tear his eyes from Brennan as she stares, transfixed by the band on the stage. He can see her holding her breath as a beautiful melody fills the room. She turns her head to look at Booth, sending him a warm smile before turning her attention back to the stage. Booth tries to concentrate on the music but with such a beautiful woman beside him he has a lot of trouble.

It's late when the pair leaves the House of Blues. The night has turned cold and like in DC, a light snowfall is coating the pavements in white dust. Booth stands out near the kerb trying to hail a cab while Brennan waits under the shelter of the entrance to the House of Blues. Despite the jacket she has on, Brennan is still feeling the bite of the cold night air. With her arms wrapped around herself, she shudders and shifts her weight from foot to foot. Booth glances back and sees Brennan, noticing how cold she looks. He steps back from the kerb and as he walks over to her he shrugs his jacket off.

"Here Bones." He leans forward and drapes the jacket around her shoulders, pulling it close around in front.

"Thanks." Brennan replies gratefully. The jacket is still warm from being on Booth's body and she immediately feels that warmth radiating into her body. Booth hovers for a moment, his hand desperate to reach out and stroke her cheek, but he pulls back and goes back to the kerb. He waves his hand as a yellow cab approaches and the driver spots him, pulling the cab into the kerb sharply. Booth turns and signals to Brennan to come over and she quickly hurries to him. He pulls the cab door open and Brennan ducks inside, grateful to be out of the cold. Booth slides in next to her and gives the driver directions to their hotel. As the cab moves off, Brennan settles back into the seat and leans against Booth's arm, her head dropping to his shoulder. He glances down at her then raises his arm and slips it around her shoulders.

"Tired?" he asks. Brennan merely nods her head and lets her eyes flutter closed.

xxxx

The following morning, still on a buzz from her night out with Booth, Brennan sits on the hotel bed with her legs crossed and her laptop open in front of her. On the screen, Angela can be seen with the lab as the background.

"What have you found out?" Brennan asks as she takes a sip of coffee from a take-out cup.

"You were right about cause of death. Zach determined the likely type of knife, I'll beam you some images. Hodgins says the box has been buried in only one place. He also says…" Angela is interrupted as Hodgins appears on screen.

"My analysis shows the victim died fourteen years ago. The samples I took place time of death in the summer of '92. The box was buried at that time and has been undisturbed since."

"What about an ID?" Brennan asks. Angela appears back on screen having shoved Hodgins out the way.

"I have a face. We've run it through missing persons' nationwide but so far nothing." Angela disappears from view again as an Angelator image of the victim appears on the screen. Brennan's eyes widen and her body tenses up as she takes in the features of the young girl; dark, almost black hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones, button nose and strong jaw.

"I'm not sure where else to look Brennan." Angela's voice says.

"Her name is Jamie Carlson." Brennan states, her voice deep and a little shaky.

"What?" Angela asks. "How do you know?"

"I was uh, we…were in foster care together, here in Chicago."

"Oh sweetie." Angela sympathises. _This is the last thing she needs_.

"Angela, I have to go." Brennan breaks the connection and closes the laptop quickly. _Jamie_ she hangs her head, blinking her eyes to try and stop the tears from flowing. In her mind she is thrown back to her childhood in the second of the foster homes she was bounced between after her parents vanished.

"_Tempe, you will not believe this" Jamie squealed. _

"_What now?" Temperance asked, looking up from a science journal._

"_Michael asked me out." _

"_Seriously?" Temperance stared at her friend with wide eyes. "I thought you weren't interested."_

"_Of course I am, I was just pretending not to be interested so he would ask me out." Jamie rolled her eyes. "Tempe, you really need to learn how get a guy."_

Breaking from the memory, Brennan laughs a little and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. At the same time, Booth strolls into the room, a brown bag in his hands.

"Bones?" he asks. Brennan lifts her head, startled.

"Oh hey." She greets him.

"What's uh going on?" he hasn't failed to notice that she seems a little out of sorts.

"We'd identified the girl." Brennan says. "Her name is…was Jamie Carlson."

"That was fast." Booth replies as he crosses the room and takes a seat on the edge of the bed. "So what is she?" Brennan looks at him with a questioning look.

"Felon, missing person?" he clarifies.

"Missing person but not officially."

"What does that mean?" Booth pulls out wrapped bagel and passes it to Brennan.

"She was never officially reported as missing but she disappeared fourteen years ago from her foster home. Everyone believed she ran away."

"Bones, if she isn't in the system, how do you know this?" Booth asks, pausing as he lifts another bagel from the bag.

"I was in the foster home with her when she went missing." At Brennan's admission, Booth's eyes widen and he realises this will be no ordinary case. He also knows that Brennan has never shared any of her life from when she was in the system and this case is going to force her to.

"We lived with the Jackson's just outside the city limits." Brennan continues, almost talking to herself more than Booth. "I'd been there about three months, Jamie had been there six. It was a difficult place to live and Jamie made it bearable for me. I was still so mixed up about my parents and Russ leaving me. Jamie had been bouncing around the system for years and really helped me out." Brennan stops, uncrossing her legs and sliding off the bed.

She walks across the room, wrapping her arms around her chest. Booth watches her, not sure whether he should ask her more right now. She begins to speak again before he has to make a decision.

"Paul Jackson, he wasn't what you would call a perfect foster father." Brennan keeps her back to Booth, unable to face him as she tells him of one of the most difficult times in her life. "He was a drunk and was violent with his wife and us." Booth rises to his feet, anger at a man he doesn't even know bubbling inside. It also occurs to him that this is why Brennan reacts strongly to domestic abuse cases they encounter. "Jamie rubbed him the wrong way all the time and she usually bore the brunt of his anger. One day she just disappeared. I was told she ran away and I believed it because she'd talked about it a lot, usually right after Paul hit her…or me."

"Bones." Booth says softly as he closes the distance between them and places both his hands on her shoulders, turning her around to face him. When he does, he sees that silent tears are falling down her cheeks. "I was mad Booth, mad that she didn't tell me she was going, that she didn't take me with her, that she left me alone with him. Brennan falls forward and rests her head against Booth's chest as his arms close around her back. "She died when she was sixteen Booth, she didn't run away. He killed her." She sobs.

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Booth soothes, rubbing circles on her back as he holds her tight. "We'll get to the bottom of this and if this Paul Jackson did it, we'll put him away." He assures her. Brennan pulls back from his embrace sharply, a little angered that he doesn't seem to believe how certain she is.

"There's no 'if' here Booth. He did it." She states firmly. "He did it."

"Okay." Booth realises she isn't going to be objective here. "So we'll prove it, like we always do." His hands remain on her arms, holding her in front of him as he stares into her bright blue eyes and tries to show he's with her 100 percent.

**_Poor Bones, another tough situation for her but do not fear, Booth is here! Please review...please please please_**


	3. Chapter 3

**_I know the details of the case are not great but I wanted this to be more about Brennan and Booth than the actual case. Please forgive me._**

By mid morning, Booth has ascertained which division of social services Jamie Carlson had been assigned to and he and Brennan are on their way to speak to a social worker who they hope will be able to give them some information about the girl, her life before foster care and during her time in the system. Brennan has already told Booth that Jamie didn't talk to her about her family or any specifics about her other foster families.

Walking into the social services office, Booth notices how Brennan's body tenses up. He can only imagine that she is remembering her past and being brought to a place like this. His hand slips to her shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze as they approach the reception desk.

"Can I help you?" a pretty receptionist asks cheerfully.

"Yes, I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth, this is my partner Dr Brennan. We have an appointment to see Cassie Wilson."

"Oh, she's expecting you." The receptionist smiles warmly. "Just go straight through those doors and it's the first office on the left. I'll let her know you're on your way." Booth nods to the receptionist as he guides Brennan away from the desk with his hand on her lower back.

"You okay Bones?" Booth asks. She glances at him then focuses straight ahead.

"I'm fine." She replies. Booth nods and leaves it be for now. _This is not the time or place to talk about her past_.

When Booth and Brennan enter Cassie Wilson's office, the woman has risen from her desk to greet them. She is a small woman and Booth smiles, thinking for a moment that if she were a few inches shorter he might not see her behind the mountain of paperwork sitting on the desk.

"Good afternoon." Cassie smiles warmly.

"I'm Agent Booth, this is Dr Brennan." Booth gestures to Brennan.

"Please have a seat. I believe you're looking for some information today." Cassie sits down behind her desk and Brennan and Booth settle into the chairs opposite her. Brennan is still tense, her mind going back fifteen years to the last time she sat in an office like this. Only then she was confused and scared and had no one at her side.

"The remains of a sixteen year old girl were found in a federal park." Booth begins. "Her name was Jamie Carlson and she was in the foster care system when she went missing fourteen years ago."

"Fourteen years huh?" Cassie nods. "It's likely that her records are still here but they'll all be on paper. We only have the last ten years of records on the computer."

"Do you think you'll be able to find them for us?" Booth asks.

"I'll go down to the records room and see what I can find." Cassie says. "It might take a while but you're welcome to wait in reception. I can have Chrissie get you some coffee."

"That would be great." Booth nods and rises to his feet. It hasn't escaped his notice that Brennan has remained silent this whole time. _It's not like her. This must really be getting to her_ he thinks.

Once out in reception, Booth and Brennan sit side by side on old plastic chairs, clasping hot cups of coffee in their hands. Brennan watches everyone that passes with intense interest. Then someone seems to steal her attention. An older woman, perhaps in her fifties Booth thinks, walks past them. Brennan stares after the woman as she heads for the office area. Suddenly Brennan jumps up.

"Maggie?" she calls to the older woman who turns around, surprised to hear her name.

"Yes, can I help you?" she stares at Brennan, trying to figure out why this woman looks so familiar. Booth remains seated, feeling that this is something personal for Brennan and he doesn't want to intrude.

"You probably don't remember me." Brennan begins. "You were the social worker who took me into care fifteen years ago."

"What's your name?" Maggie asks, hoping the name will trigger her memory. There is something in Brennan's eyes she remembers but cannot place.

"I'm Temperance Brennan." Maggie stares for a moment then takes a deep breath.

"Little Tempe."

"You remember?" Brennan asks, walking over to stand in front of Maggie.

"There are some you just don't forget." Maggie shakes her head. "You were fifteen, your parents had vanished and your older brother…Russ I think? He had taken off." Maggie recalls the case. Brennan nods, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. "Look at you, all grown up." Maggie leans forward and pulls Brennan into an embrace. When they part, Brennan has a few tears running down her face. Maggie leads her over to sit down next to Booth.

"Tell me Tempe, how have things turned out for you?" Maggie asks. Brennan thinks for a moment. She doesn't want to upset this woman, the only woman who seemed to care about her at a time when she felt so alone.

"I went to college, became a forensic anthropologist." Brennan nods, a small smile on her face.

"You're a doctor?" Maggie smiles widely as Brennan nods.

"I reconciled with Russ." She adds. "And I found out what happened to my parents." She adds quietly.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" Maggie asks.

"A bit of both I suppose. My mother is dead but my father is still alive." _And running around with my brother killing people._

"Well that's something." Maggie squeezes her hand. "And is this your husband?" Maggie looks at Booth who is staring with wide eyes at being called Brennan's husband.

"Oh, no, he's not. We're not, uh we're partners." Brennan stammers. "This is Seeley Booth, he's an FBI agent." Brennan explains. "I help Booth out with cases."

"Well Agent Booth, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Maggie Smith. I was Tempe's case worker." Booth grins and shakes Maggie's hand warmly.

"It's a pleasure."

"Are you two working a case now, is that why you're here?" Maggie asks.

"Yes. We're looking into the murder of a girl I was in a home with. Jamie Carlson?" Brennan searches Maggie's eyes for recognition of the name.

"Hmm, the name sounds familiar. I think she was one of the ones we lost track of. Is someone looking for her file?"

"Yes, Cassie Wilson." Booth replies.

"If anyone can find it she will."

"Maggie, do you remember anything else about Jamie?" Brennan asks.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, I'm afraid I don't. Not long after you were placed, I was transferred to New York for a few years."

"That's okay, I'm sure the file will give us some information." Booth nods.

"Do you have some time, maybe we could talk some more?" Maggie asks Brennan. She looks to Booth who nods.

"I have time." Brennan rises with Maggie.

"I'll uh, just wait here." Booth settles back into the plastic chair as Brennan and Maggie disappear through to the office. _Maybe this will do Brennan some good._

An hour and a half later, Cassie reappears in reception with a thick brown folder in her arms.

"Agent Booth." She calls to get his attention. Booth quickly rises to his feet.

"Is that the file?" Booth asks expectantly.

"You're in luck. Someone was pretty good at filing and once I found the right year it was there." She grins and passes the file to him. "You can take it away with you, just bring it back when the investigation is done." She nods.

"Thank you."

"Would you like me to go get your partner?" Cassie asks. "She's next door with Maggie.

"Sure, just let her know I'm ready to go when she is." Booth doesn't want to drag Brennan away if she's getting something out of this visit.

Xxxx

Over room service in Booth's room, Brennan and Booth pour over the file from social services. There is a surprising amount of information on Jamie and her family, why she went into care and the various homes she was in over the years. Booth checked and the last paperwork on her was from her placement in the Jackson home.

"She never told me her parents were drug addicts." Brennan sighs as she lifts a piece of paper from the file and sets it down next to others she has read.

"What did she tell you?"

"Just that her parents weren't able to look after her or her brother so they were taken into care." Brennan sighs and rubs her stinging eyes.

"Maybe you should go get some sleep." Booth suggests.

"I'm fine, I want to finish this." Brennan relies without lifting her head. She focuses on the next piece of paper and the information it might reveal.

"She never reported any of the abuse." Booth states. He has nit found a single piece of paperwork recording any incident with Jackson.

"She wouldn't. None of us would." Booth glances over at Brennan, finding it difficult to imagine her keeping quite about someone being wronged. Brennan senses him staring and she lifts her eyes to look at him.

"Booth, you don't understand the system." She says softly. "Most social workers decide that the reported abuse is just a troubled kid trying being a nuisance or to try and get assigned a new home. If one of us kids were to turn up and tell them how Paul would lock us in cupboards and hit us, Who's word do you think they would take? The respectable foster father and his wife or the troubled kids?"

"Bones, did he hurt you a lot?" Booth asks.

"Just whenever he was drunk and pissed off about something." Brennan says, her voice low. "And that was too often. He would come home and sit in his chair downing half a bottle of whiskey a night. If Jamie or I were in the wrong place at the wrong time we ended up with black eyes, bruised ribs or bleeding lips." Booth listens, not saying a word or moving from his position across from her. "He never hit us hard enough that we had to go to hospital because he would have to explain how it happened. He just kept us off school until the bruising healed. When he was really angry, he would lock us in a cupboard so he didn't have to see us." She seems to finish, her head hanging down, deliberately not looking at Booth.

"And you never told anyone this, ever?" Booth asks gently, placing the paper in his hands down. His heart his aching for her and what she went through.

"Only you." For a moment Booth feels proud that she has shared this with him but almost immediately he goes back to feeling angry that she suffered it in the first place and held it inside for so long. _No one should have to experience abuse._

"Bones." Booth sighs and rises to his feet, walking around the bed to take a seat next to her near the head of the bed. She knows what he's doing and she tries to resist. _I have to stop hugging him all the time. That's not what partners do_ she tells herself. But as Booth opens his arms, inviting her into an embrace, she quickly relents and falls into them, resting her head on his chest and relaxing as his arms close around her. She feels him kiss the top of her head and her eyes close as she enjoys the feeling of being held and comforted. As he begins to rock her gently, Brennan can't hold back the tears any longer and she begins to cry softly.

**_Awe, isn't Booth the best!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_The penultimate chapter to this story. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I enjoyed writing it._**

When Booth wakes, he is somewhat confused because he doesn't remember actually going to sleep. When he looks down and sees Brennan sound asleep in his arms the events of last night come back to him. She had looked so vulnerable and all he had wanted to do was take her pain away. But he can't do that. No one can. The best he can do right now is gather the evidence to put away Jamie Carlson's killer, especially if that turns out to be Paul Jackson.

Gently, Booth rolls Brennan out of his arms and down onto the bed. She murmurs but does not seem to wake. Booth then carefully gets off the bed and covers Brennan with a blanket and begins to tidy up the paperwork still strewn across the end of the bed. When he's done he orders breakfast and takes a quick shower. The hot water seems to ease his muscles, tense from the weight of this case. As he steps out of the shower he hears movement and figures that Brennan has woken up.

Brennan wakes and rolls over, confused for a moment about where she is. The she remembers Booth holding her last night. _I must have fallen asleep_ she thinks when she looks around and realises she is not in her hotel room but Booth's. The shower is running meaning she has a few minutes to gather her wits before Booth comes out. Something about last night has her uneasy. She thinks it's the intimacy she and Booth shared. She doesn't fall asleep in the arms of just any man. _But then again, Booth isn't just any man_. She lets a smile cross her face as she rises from the bed. The clicking of the bathroom door opening startles her and she spins around to see Booth emerge wearing just a pair of blue jeans. _He could have put a shirt on?_ She thinks as her eyes focus on his tanned and very toned chest.

"Morning." He greets her as he rubs a small towel on his head to dry his hair.

"Morning." She replies.

"I ordered breakfast." He tells her. "And we need to talk about where we go from here." _Where we go?_ Brennan panics. _What does he mean, where we go from here?_ "I really need to talk to this Paul Jackson." Booth continues.

"So we do that."

"Bones, I don't know if it's such a good idea for you to be there when I do." Booth admits.

"Why not?"

"After what you told me last night, I don't want you to be put in an awkward situation."

"Booth, all that happened a long time ago and I'm stronger now. I'm not going to let him get to me."

"I don't want to compromise the case either. You had a relationship with this man and when we go to court…" he trails off, seeing Brennan's shoulders sag.

"You're right." She turns and moves for the door. "I'll go set up in my room and catch up with what Hodgins and Zach have found." She pulls the door open.

"I'll call you when I get back." Booth tells her. She nods and steps out into the hall leaving Booth wondering if Brennan is going to make it through this case in one piece. _It seems to be eating away at her._

xxxx

Two hours later, Booth pulls up at the Jackson home. It is the same home Jackson lived in when Brennan was in his care fifteen years ago and that makes Booth a little uneasy. In a few minutes he's about to be standing in the home which caused Brennan so much heartache and talking to the man responsible for it all. He sucks in a deep breath and gets out the SUV, striding towards the front door. The house seems pretty run down. The front porch has been eaten away by weather and the windows don't look like they could keep out much cold. Lifting his hand, Booth raps sharply on the door. A minute later a petite woman in her early sixties answers the door. Her face shows years of pain; deep set eyes with heavy bags, wrinkles and a sadness in her eyes.

"Mrs Jackson?" Booth asks. The woman nods and glances back inside the house.

"Can I help you?" she asks quietly.

"I need to speak with your husband, Paul Jackson."

"Who are you?"

"Special Agent Seeley Booth, FBI." He flashes her his badge and the woman reluctantly steps aside.

"You'd better come in." she lets Booth inside and leads him to the lounge where Booth lays eyes on the man that hurt his Bones.

"Who the hell is this?" Jackson yells. He doesn't move from the recliner he is in, only scratching his beer gut and swigging from a bottle of beer. Booth can see that time has not been kind to this man. _Nor should it._ He is almost entirely bald, his skin is deeply wrinkled and slightly yellowed in colour and he looks like he hasn't washed in days.

"Mr Jackson, I'm Agent Booth from the FBI." Booth says firmly. "I'm here to ask you a few questions about a foster child you had in your care fifteen years ago."

"Which kid? There were lots of those rugrats running around here." Jackson mutters.

"Her name was Jamie Carlson. She stayed here for around six months at the same time as another child, Temperance Brennan." Booth searches the man's face for a reaction.

"What do you want to know about the brat?" Jackson shifts in the chair and drinks more beer. Booth walks over and sits down on the edge of the couch opposite him.

"I need to know what happened when she left here."

"What's to know? The stupid kid took off. Just as well, she was trouble."

"What do you mean trouble?" Booth asks. He glances across the room at Mrs Jackson who is hovering nervously.

"Her and that other kid, the smart one. They liked to mess me around, cause me problems."

"And how did you deal with that?" Booth probes, trying to keep his voice neutral.

"Like any father I tried to teach them to respect their elders." Jackson laughs. "Didn't do much good. The kid you're asking about, Jamie. She snuck out all the time, thought I didn't know.

"What about the other girl?" Booth can't help but ask.

"She was too smart for her own good. Pissed me off with all those big words she used."

"Why didn't you report Jamie running away?" Booth asks, switching the subject back to what he came to talk about.

"She wasn't worth it."

"She was sixteen." Booth says, anger starting to rise to the surface.

"Why are you asking all these questions anyway, the girl's been gone a long time."

"Jamie Carlson's body was found inside a box buried in a federal park here in Chicago."

"She's dead?" Jackson doesn't seem to surprised. "Hmm." He nods. "Well, I've told you all I can."

"Do you mind if I have a look in your garage?" Booth asks. He figures if Jackson did kill Jamie, the logical place on this property would be the garage. He couldn't do it in the house because Brennan might have seen the evidence.

"Hell yeah." Jackson sits up. "I ain't done nothing wrong and you ain't poking around my place." Booth senses this is the time to go so he rises to his feet.

"Woman, make sure this man goes and don't let him back in." Jackson calls to his wife. Booth is appalled that he referred to his wife as 'woman' but he holds it back and makes his way across the room to Mrs Jackson. She nods at her husband and leads Booth out of the house. Once back out on the porch she steps forward, close to Booth.

"I can let you see the garage." She whispers. "You might find what you're looking for."

"I'd appreciate that." Booth replies warmly. He believes Mrs Jackson knows exactly why he's here and that she knows what happened to Jamie.

Mrs Jackson lets Booth into the garage via the side door. Booth begins to look around and immediately feels uneasy. In the corner of the room, partially hidden by some chunks of old wood, there is a worn brown stain on the floor. Mrs Jackson looks at Booth and nods to the stain. Booth walks over and crouches down beside the stain. He's no expert but Booth believes this is blood, probably Jamie Carlson's blood.

"Do you mind if I take a sample?" he asks. Mrs Jackson nods that it is okay and Booth removes a penknife from his pocket. He scratches away at the concrete until some grains with the stain on it are pried loose. He tucks them safely in a handkerchief and rises to his feet. Next, he eyes the wood and realises it looks similar to the wood the box Jamie was in was made of.

"How long has this wood been here?" he asks.

"A long time, my husband used to make fences. He hasn't done that in over twelve years though." Booth pulls a few splinters off a piece of wood and adds them to the handkerchief, keeping them safe for Brennan or the squints to analyse.

"Thank you Mrs Jackson." Booth says as he makes his way across the room. "If you need anything you give me a call." He hands her a business card.

"Agent Booth."

"Yes?"

"For the record, those two girls we had back then. They were good kids. Jamie was a little troublesome but she didn't do anything any other teenager wasn't doing. The other kid, Tempe, she was sweet. Quiet and shy and never a bother to me. I just hope she had a good life after she left us." She hangs her head, feeling guilty about the abuse the girls suffered at her husband's hands.

"I'm sure she's doing just fine." Booth nods.

Xxxx

Brennan is pacing her hotel room anxiously, waiting for Booth to come back from his visit to the Jackson's. In a way she is glad he wouldn't let her go with him. She isn't sure if she's ready to see Paul Jackson again despite what she told Booth. _I just needed him to confirm it for me_. Her cell phone begins to ring, startling her from her thoughts. She rushes across the room and picks it up, answering quickly.

"Brennan."

"It's me." Booth's voice comes over clearly. "I need you to come meet me at the FBI lab. I have something for you to look at."

"I'll be right there." Brennan hangs up, grabs her bag and rushes out of the hotel room.

A short taxi ride later she reaches the FBI office and is escorted down to the basement lab she had worked in their first day here. Booth is waiting with Agent Wright. As Brennan approaches them she desperately wants to ask Booth about his visit but Wright doesn't know her involvement so she doesn't want to bring it up here and now.

"What do you have?" she asks.

"Samples of wood I think might match the box and some scrapings of concrete I think might have been stained by blood." Booth gestures to the table where a white handkerchief sits alone on a cold steel table. Brennan picks up a pair of latex gloves from a box on a side table and approaches, her mind switching to science mode. She leans over and pokes the concrete scrapings before lifting the wood.

"I need to get Hodgins online." She says, not lifting her eyes from the wood.

"I'll sort that out." Agent Wright says before disappearing from the room leaving Booth and Brennan alone.

"So you saw him."

"I saw him Bones." Booth sighs and crosses over to stand at her side. "He was everything you said he was." Brennan just nods. "His wife, I think she knows what happened."

"Did she say something?" Brennan asks, finally putting down the evidence.

"Not really. Jackson wouldn't let me look around the garage but when I was leaving she let me in and told me I might find what I was looking for."

"She never stood up to him, never protected us from him. But it wasn't her fault. She was always nice to me."

"She had nice things to say about you." Booth smiles a little and rests his hand on her shoulder.

"She did?" Brennan looks surprised.

"Yeah, and she said she hoped you turned out okay." Brennan just nods her head.

"If this is blood, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get DNA." She states, changing the subject. "It's probably too degraded. But Hodgins can probably confirm a match between the wood samples."

"Good." Booth nods.

Xxxx

Half an hour later Brennan is set up with a link to the Jeffersonian and is working with Hodgins on the wood and concrete sample. Booth hovers in the corner watching with Agent Wright at his side.

"She's good." Wright nods.

"She is."

"How long have you been working with her?"

"About two years." Booth knows to the day how long but that would seem odd if he recited years, months and days since he met Brennan.

"Booth!" Brennan interrupts the two agents with an excited call. They both walk over.

"Whatcha got?" Booth asks.

"Look." Brennan points to the screen. Booth leans over from behind, his breath tickling her neck.

"What am I looking at?" he asks, not sure what he is seeing on the screen.

"The wood sample from the garage matches the wood of the box Jamie was buried in." Brennan states.

"Okay." Booth nods.

"And here." She changes the image on the screen. "I was right, the blood was too degraded for DNA but it is blood and it matches Jamie's blood type." Brennan sits back on her stool, satisfied that she has accomplished something.

"I think this is reason enough to bring Jackson in for questioning." Wright smiles. "I'll get a warrant." He adds. Booth rests both hands on Brennan's shoulders.

"Good work Bones." He whispers in her ear.

**_Last chapter next. Will Jackson get his what he deserves?_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Last chapter, thanks for sticking with me on this one. _**

It is late afternoon when Paul Jackson is escorted to an interview room in the FBI building. Booth and Wright had both gone to pick him up but Brennan remained at the FBI, anticipating the arrival of her childhood abuser and likely murderer. When Jackson is settled in the interview room, Booth fetches Brennan from the coffee area.

"It's up to you Bones." Booth tells her. "If you feel like you can keep your cool I'd like you in the interview. I need someone to explain the physical evidence." Brennan pauses, thinking it over.

"I want to be there."

"Okay, let's go." He places his hand on her back and walks with her towards the interview room. He can feel how tense she is and he hopes she'll be able to get through this interview.

Brennan enters the interview room, almost hiding behind Booth. As soon as she got to the door her stomach started churning and she questioned her decision to do this. But having Booth at her side, sending her reassuring looks, drove her on. She takes a seat next to Booth, in front of Jackson. He looks at her, having no idea who she is. In his face Brennan sees the same man who used to slap her around and a mixture of anger and fear rises in her.

"Mr Jackson. You've been brought in to answer some questions about the murder of Jamie Carlson, a foster child in your care in 1992." Booth explains.

"I didn't have anything to do with that." Jackson denies. "Like I told you, she ran off."

"We have evidence that suggests otherwise." Brennan finds her voice.

"And who's this, your girlfriend?" Jackson laughs. Booth looks at Brennan for approval to reveal her identity then focuses on Jackson.

"This is Dr Temperance Brennan. I believe you know her."

"This is little Tempe, the smart ass kid we had along with Jamie?" Jackson leans forward, a creepy smile crossing his face as he looks at Brennan.

"Blood stains were found in your garage that match Jamie's blood type." Brennan tells him, trying to maintain her composure. "We also found wood which matches the same wood of the box Jamie was buried in."

"I didn't give you permission to go into my garage, that evidence was got illegally." Jackson sits back, obviously nervous.

"Your wife gave me permission." Booth states. "That makes the evidence legal."

"That bitch." Jackson mutters.

"You might as well tell us what happened." Booth leans back in his chair.

"Why?" Jackson asks.

"We're going to nail your ass and if you confess, you know, that always goes down well with the judge." Booth shrugs.

"Jamie was a little bitch and yeah, I smacked her around a bit but I never killed her."

"You admit the abuse?" Brennan asks. "You're admitting to abusing us."

"Hell you kids deserved ever hit." Jackson laughs.

"We were kids." Brennan feels anger bubbling inside. "We didn't do anything to deserve treatment like that." She rises to her feet, planting her hands flat on the table and leaning over. "You were supposed to take care of us."

"Bones." Booth rises and places a hand on her shoulder. She turns to look at him then back at Jackson, before stepping around her chair and hurrying out of the interview room. She knows she could jeopardise the case if she gets too emotional and her emotions are starting to get out of her control. Booth doesn't let her exit distract him and he turns his attention back to Jackson. _I will make this man confess_.

Xxxx

Brennan paces the hallway, her arms folded across her chest. Booth has been in there for two hours and there has been no word. Her head snaps to look up the hallway as a door is thrown open. An FBI agent Brennan has not met here escorts Jackson down the hall towards her. Booth emerges behind and from the look she sees on his face, the interview did not go well. As Jackson gets closer, Brennan meets his eyes and instead of remaining strong, she finds herself retreating inside and she backs up against the wall as he gets closer.

"Bitch!" he hisses at her as he passes. Brennan presses her back to the wall, realising the man is free to go and knows she is around and out to put him away. As she watches him walk away, Booth appears at her side.

"He wouldn't give it up and the evidence we have at the moment isn't enough to hold him. There are no witnesses, no one who remembers anything in the neighbourhood." Booth explains. "I'm sorry Bones." Brennan lifts her eyes to meet his and he sees the sadness and fear in them. _I need to put him away, not just for Jamie Carlson but for Bones_.

Xxxx

Expecting Booth, Brennan isn't surprised by the knock at the door. She climbs off the bed and pads over, pulling it open without even looking through the spy hole. Her whole body immediately tenses up when she sees Paul Jackson standing on the other side, his large frame filling the doorway.

"Hello Temperance." He greets her threateningly. In that instant, Brennan is thrust back to her time in the foster home when he would come to her and Jamie's bedroom. Those occasions always ended in Brennan, Jamie or both ending up bruised or bleeding.

"Wha..what are you…?" Brennan mumbles, her voice lost to fear. Jackson steps forward into the room, kicking the door shut behind him and forcing Brennan to walk backwards to keep some distance.

"You and I need to have a little talk. I'm not happy you set the FBI on me." His smile is one of evil. As he advances toward her, Brennan becomes the shy, scared sixteen year old she was when in his care. All her years of self defence training abandon her as Jackson backs her up against the far wall to the side of the bed. At least when she saw him at the FBI office she knew he couldn't and wouldn't hurt her with all the agents and security around.

"I'm not going to let you pin her murder on me. I'm not going to jail for taking care of a problem." He whispers harshly, his face millimetres from hers. Brennan's eyes widen in fear just moments before he lifts his hand and smacks her across the face. The force of the blow knocks her to the ground and she bangs her head on the side table as she falls. Her hand immediately lifts to feel her lip where his fist landed. When she draws it back she sees blood on her fingers and she starts to panic. As she tries to gather her wits, Jackson leans down and clamps his hand around her throat. When he rises, Brennan is pulled up off the floor by her throat.

"You and your pretty boy partner are going to drop this whole case." He tells her as he thrusts her against the wall, his hand still clamped firmly around Brennan's throat cutting off her air supply. Brennan's hands rise up and she tries to pry his fingers loose but Jackson's grip is firm.

"I'm not afraid of you." She croaks out, not quite sure she even believes the words. Jackson just laughs and squeezes down tighter.

"You'll always be afraid of me." He pulls her away from the wall and throws her to the floor. Before Brennan can recover, Jackson kneels over her. He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a knife, tearing off the hard leather blade protector.

"You've become a problem Temperance. I guess I'm going to have to take care of you like I took care of Jamie." He cackles. Brennan lifts her arms and tries to wrestle the knife from his hands. All she gets for her trouble are some small nicks on her hands and forearms. Being much stronger, Jackson just smacks her across the face again, laughing as he does so.

xxxx

Booth arrives back at the hotel carrying a bag with some beer and snacks for he and Brennan while they try to find a way to prove Jackson is their murderer. He saunters up to her room, unaware of the drama unfolding inside. When he reaches her door he raises his hand to knock but a crash and a muffled scream inside put him on high alert. Dropping the brown paper bag, Booth pulls his gun from his side and with one forceful move, he kicks the door wide open. What occurs next takes only a few seconds. Booth sees Brennan pinned to the floor by Jackson, a knife held in his hand raised above his head ready to bring it down on her. Booth's instincts take over and with two clean shots he fires straight into Jackson's back.

xxxx

Brennan doesn't hear the door being forcefully opened. She doesn't hear the gunshots either. All she notices is a shocked and terrified look in Paul Jackson's eyes as his back straightens up before his body drops like lead and rolls onto the floor at her side. The knife falls from his hand and lands beside Brennan's head. She begins to gasp, the gravity of the situation hitting her even harder.

Booth crosses the room in just a few long strides and kneels down at Brennan's side. He quickly puts his gun back into the holster at his waist, the threat gone. She meets his eyes and in them he sees a look he has not seen before. Pure terror. His hands grasp her arms and he pulls her upper body off the floor and to him. Wrapping his arms around her, he holds her close and very tight.

"You're okay, you're okay." He whispers. Brennan grips the leather material of his jacket, clinging to him like her life depended on it, unable to stop the tears from falling or her body shaking.

"You're safe Bones, I've got you." Booth assures her. "You're safe." The sound of Brennan crying sends ripples of pain through Booth's heart but he refuses to think about what could have happened if he had arrived just a few minutes later.

xxxx

Twenty minutes later, Agent Wright has arrived and Brennan's hotel room has been cordoned off as the coroner tends to the body of Paul Jackson. Brennan herself is sitting on the floor in the hallway, her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped tightly around them. Aside for the obvious cuts and bruises, she is in one piece and the paramedics decided there was no need to take her to hospital. Booth is busy explaining the incident to Wright but his head keeps turning so he can keep a close eye on Brennan. She has stopped crying but Booth thinks she's in shock because she hasn't said a word since he brought her out of the hotel room. Her eyes look vacant and her skin paler than normal. _Not surprising though._

"Booth?" Wright draws his attention.

"Sorry, uh Jackson went down on the second shot." He explains.

"And you clearly saw the knife in his hand?"

"He was about to kill Dr Brennan, I had no choice."

"I don't doubt that for a second Booth. I think this along with the evidence you and Dr Brennan provided will be enough to convince everyone he was responsible for the murder of Jamie Carlson." Booth nods in response but his all his attention is on Brennan.

"Listen, can we go now?" he gestures to Brennan. Wright looks over at Brennan and nods. Booth offers him a nod of thanks and backs away.

Brennan glances up when she senses Booth approaching. Her body relaxes a little as he crouches down in front of her.

"Come on." He says softly as he takes her hands. He helps her to her feet and slips an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his body needing to keep her safe. She leans into him, resting her head on his shoulder, and lets him lead her down the hall and past the room where Jackson's cold dead body is being put into a body bag.

Xxxx

Twenty four hours later Booth and Brennan are back in Washington DC. Booth takes Brennan straight home to her apartment and asks her to take a couple of days off work. Whether she listens to him would be revealed the next day when he heads to the Jeffersonian to sign off on Jamie Carlson's remains and the evidence that was sent there.

"Can I get you anything before I go?" Booth asks.

"No, I'm fine Booth." Brennan sighs. As Booth looks her over he finds it hard to believe that she is fine. She has a purple bruise on her cheekbone, a cut lip and another bruise on her head, not to mention the nicks on her hands and forearms from the knife.

"And you're sure you're okay on your own. You don't want me to stay? I can call Angela if you want?" Booth offers. He really doesn't want to leave Brennan alone but she can be stubborn.

"Booth, honestly, I'm alright." She feigns a smile.

"Okay, but you call me if you need anything, I mean anything at all." Booth says as he backs out of the door into the hallway.

"Booth." Brennan laughs a little at Booth's persistence.

"Promise." Booth narrows his eyes and focuses on her.

"I promise." She says before she closes the door. But she has no intention of calling Booth. All she wants is to curl up alone in the dark.

Xxxx

Booth strides into the Jeffersonian at 10am and is pleasantly surprised not to immediately see Brennan. But he figures she's probably here somewhere.

"Hey Angela." Booth greets the young artist with a wide smile.

"If you're looking for Brennan she isn't here." Angela tells him.

"She's not?" Booth is genuinely surprised. He didn't think she would listen to him.

"Well she was. Long enough to fill me in on what happened." Angela's smile disappears.

"She'll be okay Ang." Booth assures her, rubbing her arm.

"I know, this is Dr Temperance Brennan we're talking about. Still, she looked pretty beat up."

"I know." Booth shakes his head, feeling guilty that he didn't prevent it.

"Booth, it's not your fault." Booth merely shrugs, not believing her.

"Do you know if she went home? I wanted to talk to her."

"She mumbled something about the gym." Angela tells him. "The one down the street."

"Thanks Ang." Angela watches as the FBI agent strides away. She knows that with Booth's help, Brennan will pull through this latest incident. _At least I hope so_.

Xxxx

When Booth arrives at the gym, he goes straight to the reception desk.

"Hi, I'm looking for someone." He says to the receptionist as he flashes his FBI badge.

"And who would that be?" the young girl flirts.

"Her name is Temperance Brennan."

"Oh, Dr Brennan. She's here." The receptionist replies. "Try the workout room upstairs." Booth looks to the stairs then thanks the receptionist before walking away. He jogs up the stairs and follows the hall to a small workout room at the end. He glances through the window in the door before entering and spots Brennan in the corner of the room, apparently taking out her anger, frustration and fear on a punching bag. Dressed in black workout pants and tight black vest with her hair scraped back into a rough bun, Brennan looks fierce, not to mention the black boxing gloves she has on. He opens the door quietly and slips into the room, unnoticed by Brennan who begins to kick the punch bag. Booth is impressed by her force but is a little worried about the aggression.

Brennan continues her attack on the punch bag despite knowing that Booth just walked in the door. She can sense him watching her but she isn't ready to stop yet. _Punch, punch kick, punch kick, kick _she calls in her head as she executes the moves. She blows a puff of air out her mouth and upwards to shift a stray lock of hair covering her face.

"Are you just going to stand there and watch?" she asks as she continues to kick the bag.

"I didn't want to interrupt." Booth stuffs his hands in his pockets and walks forward towards her.

"You're not interrupting….anything." she replies a little breathlessly as she lands a couple of punches with her gloved hands.

"So, you come here and do this much?"

"Not for…a while." She replies, kicking the bag hard. Booth reaches her spot and walks around to hold the punch bag as Brennan lands a few more punches. She finishes with a fast and furious series of punches before dropping her arms, exhausted.

"You done?" Booth asks.

"I'm done." Brennan sighs as she begins to pull the gloves off. She struggles to get started given that both hands are gloved. Booth steps around and takes one hand, easing the glove off. He drops it to the floor and takes her other hand, doing the same. Brennan pulls her hands back and wrings them together, easing the knuckles and wrists.

"I'm fine Booth." She says, pre-empting his question.

"Yeah, is that why you're here?" he asks. There is a few seconds of silence then Brennan lifts her head to look at him.

"I'm sorry Booth." She says. Booth stares at her, wondering what on earth she is apologising for. "I should have been able to stop Jackson myself." She clarifies.

"What are you talking about Bones?"

"He was the reason I learned to defend myself. I always thought that if I ever came across him again, I would be able to stand up for myself like I always tell you I can. But I couldn't. He beat me."

"He didn't beat you Bones." Booth lifts his hand and strokes her cheek.

"He did Booth. I forgot everything I know and I let him hurt me."

"Yes he hurt you Bones, but he was bigger and much stronger." Booth tries to get her to see she did nothing wrong.

"That shouldn't matter." She says as she pulls back from him and drops to the ground, leaning her back against the mirrored wall. Booth joins her.

"It does matter. Bones, you can learn every martial art in the world but that doesn't mean you are always going to be able to protect yourself, especially from someone you have a history with like Jackson." Brennan just shakes her head and hunches over. "Temperance, look at me." Booth leans over, his finger moving to her chin. When she doesn't lift her head he does it for her, gently raising her head so she is forced to look at him. "You can come here and punch away your anger, your pain and hurt. But you have to realise that you did nothing wrong. Paul Jackson is the one who did something wrong and he's paid the ultimate price." He stares into Brennan's eyes, searching for her understanding. All he sees is pain and lingering fear. But she doesn't turn away from him instead she continues to meet his eyes. "Bones."

"I know what you're saying Booth." She sighs. "It's just not that easy. I can't just put aside how I feel."

"I'm not saying that's what you have to do. I just want you to understand that you did nothing wrong." Booth moves his hand so he is cupping her cheek. "And I'll be here for you, all the way." He leans in a little closer, wanting nothing more than to kiss her soft lips.

"Why?" she asks.

"Why what?"

"Why are you always here for me?" Booth is a little stunned at this turn in conversation.

"Because I like you." Booth shrugs and gives her a lopsided grin.

"Even though I'm a mess?" she asks.

"You're not a mess Bones." Booth leans a little closer.

"Look at me." She rolls her eyes.

"Wounds heal Bones. Physical and emotional. You're always beautiful to me." _Did I just say that?_ Brennan looks shocked at his words.

"You think I'm beautiful?" she asks. Booth lifts his other hand and cups her face, his thumbs stroking softly across her cheeks.

"What does this tell you." He closes the distance between them and places a very soft kiss on her lips, conscious that she has a cut on her lower lip. When he draws back, his thumb strokes over her lips.

"Booth." Brennan whispers.

"Shhh." He leans in and kisses her gently again. "Don't analyse, don't worry about what this means. Just take it for what it is." He smiles warmly. _Not that I know what 'this is'_ he thinks

"Okay." She nods and leans into Booth as he wraps his arms around her. He leans down and presses a kiss to her forehead.

"You're going to be just fine Bones." He assures her.

"I know." _Especially with you at my side_. Booth hugs Brennan close to him and rests his cheek on the top of her head. _I don't know where this is going or what might happen between them but it feels right._

**_Please review. it makes my day to see my inbox full. Unless you're going to flame me. Constructive criticism only thanks_**


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